Bucs, Vikings On Different Courses

October 02, 1990|By Don Pierson.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings may have passed each other in the night.

Keith Millard is out for the season with a knee injury, leaving the Vikings 1-3 and reeling. In successive weeks they have lost quarterback Wade Wilson for eight weeks and now Millard. Last season`s leading sacker among defensive tackles in the NFL will undergo reconstructive surgery on his right knee for ligament damage. He will be replaced by Thomas Strauthers.

Millard was hurt in Sunday`s loss to the Bucs, who blew a 10-point lead but came back to win in overtime. In Tampa, the game is being hailed as the latest arrival of quarterback Vinny Testaverde and Co., now 3-1.

``This is definitely one of those games that gets a franchise like ours on the top of the hump if not over the hump because it`s against one of the best teams in football,`` coach Ray Perkins said.

Similar quotes were heard last year when the Bucs snapped the Bears` 4-0 start and were 3-2, only to follow up with five consecutive losses.

Now the Bucs have a decent chance to win three games in a row for the first time since 1982. The reason? Fifth-place schedule. Before the Bucs meet the Bears Nov. 4, they play Dallas twice, Green Bay, and San Diego.

What`s this? At the moment, there are more good AFC teams than NFC teams. But has anybody beaten anybody yet? A quick top 12:

1. Giants (4-0). They beat Cowboys twice, but they are (surprise) the No. 1 scoring team and No. 2 in scoring against.

2. Raiders (4-0). Have overcome injury and beat Denver, Bears.

3. 49ers (3-0). Struggling but winning.

4. Dolphins (3-1). Played only once at home so far. Lost only to Giants.

5. Chiefs (3-1). Lost only to Denver.

6. Bengals (3-0 before Monday night). Haven`t beaten anybody.

7. Broncos (2-2). Lost to Raiders and Bills, but really beat Bills.

8. Bills (3-1). Lucked out against Broncos.

9. Bears (3-1). Still too early to tell.

10. Redskins (3-1). Phoenix twice, Dallas once.

11. Bucs (3-1). Detroit twice.

12. Rams (1-2). Best 1-2 team in football.

There are 14 teams that haven`t won more than one game. That`s better news than it appears for those 14 teams. Since 12 of the 28 teams make this year`s expanded playoffs, the bottom half has to figure there is still plenty of room to rebound, as well as plenty of time to rebound.

No word yet: A decision on the appeal of suspended Indianapolis running back Eric Dickerson was due last week, but apparently has been delayed because of the Patriots` locker-room story, which escalated from the sports page to national news.

Hot Humphries and Humphrey: Stan Humphries replaced Mark Rypien replaced Doug Williams replaced Jay Schroeder replaced Joe Theismann for the Washington Redskins and each new quarterback seems as good as the last.

Humphries, a sixth-round draft choice from Northeastern Louisiana in 1988, hit 20 of 25 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns against Phoenix. Not many people were surprised and not just because it was Phoenix.

First, Humphries grew up in Shreveport, La., home of Terry Bradshaw and Joe Ferguson. In college, he played behind Bubby Brister until he was a senior. The Redskins found room for him on their injured reserve list in 1988 with a ``blood disorder.`` Although he had thrown only 10 passes before Sunday, coach Joe Gibbs had seen enough in practice and preseason to declare: ``He has a great feel for the game.``

Besides, Humphries co-hosted his own cable television show in northern Virginia last year, when he appeared in only two games.

Bobby Humphrey is the first Denver Broncos running back to string together consecutive 100-yard games since Chicago native Otis Armstrong did it in 1974. Humphrey added 177 against Buffalo Sunday to previous games of 132 against Kansas City and 129 against Seattle. He is the NFL`s leading rusher and is quickly proving his rookie debut last season was only a glimpse when he averaged 3.9 yards and gained 1,151 on the way to the Super Bowl. Now, he`s averaging 5.2. Try stopping that AND quarterback John Elway.

Humphrey was the 17th pick in the first round of the supplemental draft of 1989 and he wants the 16 teams who passed to regret it.

Majik`s back in Packerland: Don Majkowski completed 11 of his last 12 passes to bring the Green Bay Packers from 11 points down in the final quarter against Detroit. He also ran five times for 34 yards. He handed off only once in the last quarter.

``Don always has the green light (to run) if things are not working well,`` coach Lindy Infante said.

``Chicago getting beat is something positive for us. We`re one game out of first, which isn`t the end of the world.``

He`s still their Buddy: Two of Buddy Ryan`s Philadelphia Eagles urged a contract extension for their boss Monday despite their 1-3 start.